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A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO HOME YOGA PRACTICE
A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO
HOME YOGA PRACTICE
With the worldwide spread of the Coronavirus and COVID-19, we’ve entered a time of confusion and uncertainty.
For those of us who are accustomed to going to Yoga classes in our local studios and gyms, it’s time to bring our practices into our homes. Our living rooms, bedrooms, and back gardens are now our shalas. This may be new to many of us but Yoga has a long tradition of home practice and there are numerous online resources from which we can draw strength, inspiration, and even community.
For those of us who have practiced sporadically or haven’t had the time to try Yoga, now is the perfect time to get started. Inexperience need not be a barrier to the benefits of this amazing practice, take a look at our complete Yoga for Beginners Guide. Starting Yoga at home is totally possible with the guidance of online videos for beginners.
We all need the physical activity and mental calmness that yoga brings. We need to move our bodies and take a break from our thoughts, to boost our immune systems and stay present. We need our Yoga practices now more than ever.
YOGA HOME PRACTICE Q&A
SHOULD I STILL ATTEND YOGA CLASS?
Most studios and gyms are suspending their group activities as it is extremely difficult to maintain the recommended social distancing in a Yoga class setting. Now is the time to move your practice home.
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO YOGA AT HOME?
Primarily, you need a Yoga mat. (Yes, we know we’re in the business of selling Yoga mats but it also happens to be true). Our Yoga mats are ideally suited to home practice because our unique alignment markings allow you to follow spoken alignment cues and self-correct your postures for the safest practice experience. (yes, we know we’re biased but this also happens to be true). Read our Alignment Guide to learn more. Other props that are useful for beginners and more experienced Yogis alike include blocks, straps, and blankets, but these can also be improvised from household objects you have on hand, like step-stools, belts or towels, and folded blankets.
WHERE SHOULD I DO YOGA AT HOME?
Anywhere you can lay your mat can be a home practice space. Ideally, try to go into a room where you can close the door to minimise distractions. Turn off your phone ringer and prepare to focus only on your practice for the time you’ve allotted. Realistically, if you are at home with a family, you might not get the uninterrupted time you would prefer so be flexible (you can always pause a video if necessary) or try to include older children. Even a little mat time is better than none.
HOW DO I START DOING YOGA AT HOME?
If you have a regular studio, first check with them about streaming classes. We are seeing studios react to this crisis with admirable agility, quickly bringing their offerings online so that you can continue to practice with your favourite teachers. This is also a great way to support independent Yoga teachers and small local studios which are extremely vulnerable in the current economic turmoil. If you want to see your studio survive, support them now. Check out our free portal for online Yoga classes hosted by some of our favourite teachers!
If this isn’t an option, take this opportunity to explore online Yoga video platforms. These operate on a monthly subscription model (around $15-$20 per month, on average) but usually offer a one to two week free trial period.
Videos are great because they provide structure, variety, and a predetermined amount of time. If you’d rather free-form it, put on your favourite music and start with some Sun Salutations. Home practice also offers you the opportunity to work on your personal challenge poses, the ones that never seem to progress when you only work on them occasionally in class.
If you’ve done no Yoga (or very little) before, you can still start a home practice. Look for a beginners’ series of videos on any of the major online platforms.
WHY DO YOGA NOW?
As a mind/body practice that requires little in the way of space and equipment, Yoga is especially well-suited to being stuck at home. We all need practices that keep our bodies healthy and our minds calm during this tough time.
